Bharat bandhs - of the sort that the BJP and some Left parties - are organising today yield little political gain and only end up inflicting losses to the economy, which will eventually be borne by ordinary folks.
Our politicians have turned cowardly. They would prefer to flow with the public mood than stand up for the country.<br /><br /> <br /><br />
An open letter to Sonia Gandhi explaining how her petrol and energy non-policy is costing her politically.
In 1991, Manmohan Singh talked about the power of an idea whose time has come. But is raising petrol prices steeply one such idea?
The challenges of framing a political narrative in favour of reforms are all the harder in a country like India. Obama's remarks, however well-meant, may have made that task just that bit harder.
The Finance Minister's 'remedy', which focusses on unspecified 'austerity' measures, could compound the stagflation crisis if it shrinks aggregate demand.The real fixes like elsewhere.
It's incredibly self-seeking and borderline irresponsible for chambers of industry to ask for a stimulus package and lower interest rates. Where have their 'animal spirits' gone?
A major gaffe about Gujarat's growth rate in a mainstream newspaper might have gone unchallenged if the Twitterati had not exposed it. But where's the apology?
Gurgaon epitomised the middle class dream of exclusive, safe communities that don't rely on public services and spaces. But private development has instead helped create a new landmark: the Rape Mile.
After the RBI's 'surprise' rate cut, the government has run out of alibis for inaction. It's now time to move beyond pious baloney - and 'bite the bullet'.
Soon after the SC judgement on 2G spectrum on 2 February 2012, the government had first filed a review petition against the judgement and then withdrew the same.
India is pursuing a complaint against the US at the WTO over a US law enacted two years ago, that significantly increased visa fees for skilled workers and has caused plenty of heartache at Indian tech firms.
Not content with driving out the Tata Nano project, Mamata Banerjee had become obsessed with securing retribution against the Tatas. Today's ruling teaches her a lesson in governance.
The country's external account is going for a toss with CAD rising to 4 percent. This calls for austerity. Rahul-flation is getting worse with Congress-aided decline.
The Congress may have been cramped for space by its troublesome allies, but the blame for its political cowardice lies within its own dynasty obsession, which has silenced all reformist voices in the party.
This budget is being seen as a "test" of the government's political resolve to be less prodigal, spendthrift and implement reforms to rescue India's economy which slowed to 6.1 percent in the third quarter of the financial year 2011-12.
Trinamool Congress leaves prime minister in a catch-22 situation.<br /><br /> <br /><br />
Having gorged on excessive spending for years, the government has to go on an austere diet now. Driven by liquidity, markets don't seem to have budgeted for the impact of this 'bitter medicine'.
Here's the unspoken 2G scam that predates A Raja. Telcos were supposed to get a 'cumulative maximum' of 4.4 Mhz, but they actually got twice the spectrum. Did benign policy legalise stealing?
Given the amount of black circulating around election time, is some form of demonetisation of high-value currency notes worth considering?
The Land Acquisition Bill works against the interests of the industry, the landowner and the government. It is a prime example of the folly of unthinking do-goodism that Rahul Gandhi is famous for.
Pranab Mukherjee says the burden of subsidies he has to provide for in the budget keeps him awake at night. But thanks to Sonia Gandhi, his insomnia isn't about to end anytime soon.
Indian businessmen are grieving that Davos has lost its faith in the India story. But given the Davos gabfest's horrendous record of reading the future, that's probably a good thing for India.
If NREGA let more people earn more by working less, what will the cheap food under the Food Security Bill accomplish?
CNBC TV-18 reported that there is virtually no ground in the Vodafone case to invoke Dutch BIPA (Bilateral investment promotion and protection agreements).
India's bureaucracy and aggressive tax policies are scaring foreign investors and will redirect investment elsewhere, says Dave Cote
Amartya Sen and Joseph Stiglitz know little about how the Food Security Bill will really work. Why do we want to listen to them instead of our own experts?
It's all very well to shock us with statistics about India's malnourished children. But it only reflects a colossal failure of public policy, for which all governments, including Manmohan Singh's, bear the blame.
UPA-II's economic policies will ensure that their only lasting contribution will be elevated inflation.
India's youthful, working-age population, is set to become the world's largest working-age population (972 million) by 2030. But, it isn't doing enough to make productive use of the same.